Time
by Velvet Nights
Summary: Time, it heals all wounds...but time never concerned her. she existed before it, and doubtlessly she will exist after it has faded back into nothing...for her...there are some things even Time cannot heal.. inspired by the fiction "Heavy".


This one-shot is dedicated to the author "Random Irony" who wrote the fic "Heavy", it's what inspired this fic in the first place. If you're reading this and you happen to enjoy it, even if no one else likes this. Then I will be satisfied.

**XXX-HOLIC-START**

Time, it was never something that bothered her.

Being a dimensional witch, she was not necessarily a subject of that particular facet of the many worlds. She came and went as she pleased, never worrying over how much of it she had wasted or how much she had left.

After all, when one has all the time in all the various realms, one tends not to notice the passage of this concept.

It was during her time in one particular realm He appeared. So proper, so stubborn, so ignorant of things beyond belief… He was quite the dull boy.

He could do something most other humans could only dream of, He could see the spirits. Yet it was this very ability that brought about His wish.

A simple wish…

"I only wish that no spirits or ghosts will dodge my footsteps where ever I go." He had said.

She had felt it within him before he ever spoke of it. Once he had given her his name and birth, she had already known his desire.

And so, she granted his wish…her payment?

He was to work at her shop; it was in disrepair and Maru-chan and Moro-chan could only do so much to help it…

That was what she had told herself as time, that funny concept, passed by. He was there to tend the shop and to keep it looking respectable.

**XXX-HOLIC-XXX**

Of course, for such a simple price he agreed to it. Every day after school, He would make his way to her shop.

Every day he would cook for her.

Every day he would bring her alcohol.

Every day he would clean for her.

Every day he would begrudgingly do the work asked of him, a scowl upon his face.

It was during the course of his career as her servant he became friends with a girl and a boy, these two people would change so much for him…and she didn't know it, but they would change her as well.

But she wouldn't realize what changed until so much later…

Time…the silly little thing…it continued to pass unabashedly, He always did what was asked of him. But his blood attracted spirits to him; and it was his responsibility to deal with it.

**XXX-HOLIC-XXX**

That impatient boy, in his inexperience and naivety would go to her for help; and as with everything, the help she gave came with a price.

So it was like this, that little by little his time as the cleaner of her shop was prolonged ever so gradually. Of course, he would continue doing what was asked of him…but now he smiled more.

He would tell her of his day when he entered the shop and began to clean.

"And she even made me a lunch! _Well…she bought me a lunch.._."

She was never particularly interested in the stories about the girl he knew; sometimes they even went so far as to agitate her.

It was because they were simply human she would tell herself as time went by…

She wouldn't understand until quite a bit later.

Time….she never really paid attention to that absurd thing. It didn't concern her after all, she would always be. Beyond even time.

**XXX-HOLIC-XXX**

The years passed much the same, and every day He would come to her shop. He would cook for her, he would bring her alcohol.

He didn't clean anything anymore. Everything was already cleaned, and somewhere in her mind…she knew that she had no more need for his services…that his payment was finished.

But what about Marudashi and Morodashi? They had become very attached to him; they looked at him almost like a father. It would be cruel to deprive them of that.

This is what she would tell herself as she smiled sardonically and told him the price for the advice she had given. It was the same as always, He had begun to expect it really.

"You shall labor ever so little longer in my shop."

That was always the price.

**XXX-HOLIC-XXX**

How many years had passed since that day?

That day when He had wandered into her shop with that simple wish?

How long ago was it that his smiles became so weary?

That his eyes, once so bright and full of life, became aged and dull?

That Boy and that Girl he had met, they had long since parted ways, going on with their lives, marrying others and having a family.

They had attended both weddings, and not long after they had visited the two. Just to keep in touch for him, for he would be sad if he could not do so with his friends.

That is what she would tell herself as time went on….

They attended their funerals as well, the Girl died of child birth. It was a pity really…

The Boy died not much later in an incident with a spirit he was charged to exorcise…

The salty water that silently made its way down her eyes as she stood next to Him during the boys funeral went unacknowledged, and later when He asked her about it. She would tell him that as her loyal employee, it was her job to help him share the burden. That she was just humoring him.

He had smiled at her during those words…she couldn't explain it, but that smile clenched something within her, and she couldn't help but wonder…what was it about that smile, that made it so different then his others?

She would wonder over this, but not for very much longer.

**XXX-HOLIC-XXX**

Time…she had never paid much attention to it. She was the dimensional witch, she existed before time, and it had no sway upon her. It did not concern her.

He lay peacefully on the bed she lounged upon so many times in the past, shallow breathes emitting from his mouth.

He had never seemed to age, such was expected when dealing with the dimensional witch so often. But he was still human, time still held sway over him.

He lay upon her lavish throne, staring unfocusedly towards the ceiling. On the table nearby, lay a forgotten feast cooked by none other than He. Next to it, a bottle of fine Sake which He had gone to great lengths to acquire…

She kneeled before him, the salty water slipping down her porcelain face going unacknowledged as she stared at his face, his smile…that same smile that clenched her so long ago.

"…you're crying..." he had rasped.

He raised his hand to her face, delicately clasping her chin and wiping a tear away with his thumb.

"I'm glad I could make you smile…so often…" he breathed silently.

There it was again, that same smile…she recognized it now...and it scared her.

Ever so slowly, his hand fell from her face and came to lie upon the bed, his breath escaping one last time.

She watched him for moments; some small part of her masochistically wishing desperately that this was all some cruel joke.

It dawned upon her, the truth. She let her arms delicately trace themselves around his silent and unmoving figure, leaning forward unto his chest and burying her tear ridden face into the crook of his neck.

Time…it was said to cure all wounds, be it physical or emotional. Wounds of the heart need only require time to scab over…

Time…it never held any meaning to her…she had existed since before time, and she would exist long after it had faded back into nothingness…she was exempt from its merciless grasps, it did not concern her.

Then why?

Why did she so desperately want time to go back?

Why did she want it to never reach this point again?

She cried upon his lifeless form, wailing silently, gasping for breaths only to resume her tears, all the while she cried out to forces beyond even her.

She cried until her voice turned hoarse, until all she could do is weep.

With tears streaming down her elegant face….

She cried….

"Why?"

**XXX-HOLIC-END**

Hey, I think I cried while writing that…yeah, I did…

Tell me what you think about this, I really have no idea why I made this, I was actually pretty happy when I started it out.

I'm not sure why, but I made it a point not to refer to any of the characters by their names. I think it ended up adding an extra layer of depth to the story it's self.

Anyway, Read and Review. I'm kind of anxious about this one.


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